


Ficlets for Theme Week

by obs3ss1ons



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Gen, Grey's Anatomy - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/referenced infant death (canon), Jealousy, Post-Relationship, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Relationship, Private Practice - Freeform, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 02:32:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17479553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obs3ss1ons/pseuds/obs3ss1ons
Summary: Exactly what the title says.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to participate in Theme Week, but I was trying to finish Holiday Angst and then I've had a migraine for over a week now. So I'm late, but still working on it.
> 
> None of these are related in any way and take place at different times within canon.
> 
> Also, I've been trying to get these out quickly and didn't take time to edit. Sorry for any glaring mistakes.

Day 1: Avoidance

It had been a week since he took over as captain at Station 19. Well, interim captain. Just until he could find someone willing to take it on that actually deserved it. Gibson and Herrera definitely weren't ready. They showed that multiple times.

So now Lucas was stuck babysitting 19 for the foreseeable future. Gibson’s body was still recuperating. Herrera still didn't know how to follow his orders. Montgomery would be out for a while with his injuries. Hughes appeared to be avoiding him.

His wandering mind stopped at the thought of Hughes. He had no idea what to think or do about her. She was still fairly green even if she was good at the job. She cared about her team – maybe too much. That was evident at the skyscraper.

It was true she shouldn't have yelled at him the way she did, and he would be forced to reprimand her if she did it again. But he understood why she did it. Actually, he probably would have done the same thing. Though he doubted he would've gotten away with it.

Lucas hated that he had to make the call to evacuate the skyscraper. He knew there were still firefighters inside. And he knew a majority of 19 most likely wouldn't make it out alive. That every single one of them did was a testament to the sense of family they had. He couldn't help but envy that.

Movement outside the office caught his attention. He looked up just as Hughes walked past the door. Without pausing to think, he called out to her.

She stopped in the doorway. “Yeah, Chief?”

“Can you come in here a moment?”

Hughes glanced toward the stairs but then entered the room. She sat across the desk from him and asked, “Are we doing evaluations or something?”

Lucas shook his head. “No.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Not since I've been here.”

“Then, what?”

“I just want to talk,” he informed her. Again she looked through the open doorway. Lucas got up and shut the door, then returned to his chair.

Hughes asked, “Why me? Why not the whole team? Or at least the lieutenants?”

Lucas simply pointed out, “You've been avoiding me.”

That made her stop fidgeting. She met his gaze. “I'm not avoiding you.”

“You are, actually. Which is hard to do when I'm your acting captain. Yet you still manage to do it,” he said. He leaned back in his chair and rested his hands on his stomach. It wasn't a formal meeting, after all. He wanted her to feel comfortable.

Several minutes passed before she told him, “Fine. I've been avoiding you.”

He tried to hide a smile. “Why?”

This time she leaned back, though her chair didn't recline. “Because we've pretty much established that we don't like each other.”

The smile disappeared. He slowly shook his head. “I never said that.”

“You threatened to fire me.”

“I had to.”

“Right. Because we're supposed to do whatever you say without having our own opinions,” she stated. Her voice was starting to rise. At least he'd thought to shut the door. 

He leaned forward and lowered his own voice. “You can think whatever you want about me. What you can't do is accuse me when we're out on a call. It is my job to save as many lives as possible, even when it means leaving one of our own behind.”

“Or an entire team,” she cut in.

“Unfortunately sometimes yes. It wasn't safe for anyone to go back in, not even to rescue those still inside,” he explained.

She sat silent for a moment, staring at him. Lucas fought the urge to squirm. He should not be intimidated by one of his firefighters. He was the damn boss.

When she did speak up, her voice was barely above a whisper. “Why did you not reprimand Miller that night?”

He hesitated. The way he answered that question would determine how comfortable his time at 19 would be. He decided to tell her, “I didn't know he went back in until he helped you carry Montgomery out. And I knew why he did it. He could've very well lost several people that he serves with that night.”

“Yet you threatened me.”

“You attacked me, Hughes. You didn't disobey orders like Miller and Herrera. You came after me personally,” he reminded her. “I can't have my firefighters yelling at me like that, no matter what the circumstances are. So yes, I threatened to fire you. That doesn't mean I want to.”

Confusion clouded her expression. She asked, “Is that what this is? You telling me that you won't fire me unless I embarrass you in front of the department?”

Lucas wanted to laugh but managed to hold it back. “No. This is me trying to get you to stop avoiding me.”


	2. Chapter 2

Day 2: Crossing Lines

Where do you draw the line between best friend since infancy and ex-boyfriend? Only seeing each other through work took out the friendship, so that wasn't really an option. Clearly they couldn't be trusted to spend time alone together, especially since neither of them were dating anyone.

“That's it!” Andy shouted.

Maya practically jumped off their sofa. “What's ‘it’?”

“Ryan and I can go on a double date,” Andy explained. “That way we're not alone, but we can still hang out.”

“You do realize Ryan is in love with you, right?” Maya pointed out.

Andy rolled her eyes. “He is not in love with me. He's the one who broke up with me, remember?”

“Yes, as you're yelling at him for doing what your father told him to do.”

“It doesn't matter. This will be great,” Andy continued about her plan. “We can each find someone to go with and make the arrangements. I need to go call him.”

********************************************************

The plan wasn't such a good one. Andy's date barely said five words all through dinner. Ryan's date spent more time on her phone than paying attention to them. So Andy and Ryan ended up talking about how bad the service was at the restaurant. And that the food tasted like rubber. It was Ryan who offered to just pay for all four meals when the waiter forgot to split up the check. Andy was the one who offered to help pay him back.

“I say we ditch them,” Ryan said while waiting for the valet to find Andy's date's car.

“I agree,” Andy responded. So just as their dates got into the car, Ryan grabbed Andy's hand and took off running. They didn't stop for several blocks until they reached an area too crowded to run. So they blended in with the groups of friends and couples out enjoying their evening.

Another two blocks of walking, and Andy realized she still held Ryan's hand. She jerked hers free, causing him to stop and stare at her. “What the hell?”

“This isn't working,” she told him.

“What isn't working?”

She moved a finger between them. “This. Us. Being friends. Tonight was supposed to be a way for us to hang out without being alone. Yet here we are, alone.”

Ryan reached for her hand again. “I'd rather be alone with you than on some random date anyway.”

“Don't say things like that.”

“Why not?” Ryan asked with a short laugh.

Andy met his gaze. “Because it makes me think that Maya's right.”

“Right about what?”

“That you're in love with me,” Andy told him, then shook her head. “But that's crazy. Right?”

Ryan lifted his hand to cup her cheek. He stared into her eyes as he said, “It's not crazy when it's true.”

Then he kissed her. Andy hesitated only a second before she kissed him back. That line wasn't drawn in permanent ink, anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

Day 3: Suspicions 

Firefighters from four stations stood around the scene. The fire was out after nearly three hours. No casualties this time, thankfully. The building had been suspiciously empty for the middle of the day in an industrial neighborhood.

Sullivan turned away from the smoldering building. His gaze went to the aid car. Warren was still making his rounds to the firefighters, making sure none needed to get checked out for smoke inhalation. Hughes was standing at the back of the aid car, talking to Ripley.

He started toward them, wondering if the Chief needed something. But then Sullivan saw Hughes touch Ripley's arm. He stopped and watched them. They laughed. Then Ripley leaned toward her and said something. What the hell? Were they flirting?

They were. Ripley was flirting with one of his firefighters. If they were still friends, Sullivan could go put a stop to it. But with Ripley being his boss and only his boss, there wasn't much he could do. At least not at the scene anyway. He'd have to wait for a more private moment to find out just what was going on.

As soon as the team got back to the station, Sullivan called out, “Hughes, come see me once you're cleaned up.”

She nodded and hurried out of the bay. Sullivan went to his quarters and cleaned up himself. He wasn't as filthy as the others, but the smoke and ash had filled the air. Once he was presentable again, he went into his office and began filling out the report.

A knock at the door caught his attention. He looked up to see Hughes standing there. He waved her in. “Do you need to talk to me about something, Sir?”

“Is there something going on between you and Chief Ripley?” he asked.

“What? No!” Hughes exclaimed. She shook her head emphatically. Her hands grasped the top of the chair in front of her. Her voice went up in pitch as she asked, “What would make you think there is?”

Sullivan studied her. He was still learning the habits of his team, but he already knew that Hughes was the feisty one. Opinionated. Upbeat. He didn't expect her to give in easily. Yet he needed to know. “Your career is safe. It will not fall back on you. But I need you to tell me if he's done or said anything inappropriate.”

“What are you talking about Sir?”

He sighed. Apparently he needed to be a bit more blunt to get what he needed. “I saw you and Ripley after the fire. At the aid car. Acting…more than friendly.”

Hughes blushed. Her grip on the chair tightened. “We were just talking. About the fire. He wanted to know if I saw anything suspicious when we got there.”

“If you cover for him, it will affect your career,” Sullivan warned.

She let out a short laugh. “I'm not covering for anyone. We were talking. The Chief is just a friendly person.”

He could tell she was lying. Which meant whatever was going on went deeper than what he saw. Clearly she wasn't going to give him anything, though. He would have to obtain the information a different way. So he nodded and said, “Just be careful. If the wrong person sees you and Ripley being ‘friendly,’ it could turn out bad for you.”

“Yes, Sir,” she responded. Sullivan motioned for her to leave. Once she did, he shut the door and turned his back to the window. Then he pulled out his phone and dialed a number he'd hoped to never use.

When Ripley answered, Sullivan asked, “How long have you been dating one of my firefighters?”

His former best friend stayed silent. Sullivan could hear the radio Ripley kept in his office, so he knew the line was still open. The longer he waited, the more sure he was that his assumption was right.

“That's a pretty big accusation, Sully,” Ripley finally said.

“Based on an observation of your behavior today after the industrial fire.”

Another short silence, and then, “Did you ask her about it?”

Well, apparently Ripley knew who Sullivan was talking about. He said, “I did. She denied it.”

“But you didn't believe her, so you called me.”

“I noticed, Luke. If I noticed, others will, too.”

Ripley cleared his throat before telling him, “She denied it. I'm denying it. You know nothing about it.”

Sullivan shook his head. “Dammit, Luke! You know I can't ignore this.”

“There is nothing to ignore.”

“You say that so calmly. We both know you're lying,” Sullivan argued.

“What you saw was the Fire Chief talking to one of the first firefighters on the scene of a suspicious fire,” Ripley explained.

“If that's all it was, then you would've spoken to one that actually went into the building. Hughes stayed with the aid car the whole time,” Sullivan pointed out.

Ripley counteracted, “She could've seen something outside. The inspector will want all points of view from the first responding station. And I will read his report. I expect to read only facts about the structure and the fire. Is that clear?”

“You're pulling rank on me right now?” Sullivan asked in response.

“Do I need to?”

Sullivan pinched the bridge of his nose. Sometimes he really wondered why he agreed to come back. “I don't like this, Luke. It's irresponsible.”

“I'm sorry,” Ripley said. “I'll talk to her.”

“You need to end it.”

Ripley sighed loud enough for Sullivan to hear it through the phone. “I can't do that. We will go through the proper channels, though.”

Sullivan hesitated. He recognized the tone in Ripley's voice. He remembered hearing it sixteen years ago. “Seriously? Did it have to be someone from my station?”

“I can't help it if you got the best,” Ripley said with a laugh.

“Yes you can. You're the one who gave me the assignment.”

“Okay, that's true. I just needed someone I could trust to watch over them, help them grow,” Ripley admitted.

Sullivan checked the clock as he replied, “I will not babysit your girlfriend.”

“I'm not asking you to. She can handle herself.”

“She has to be tough to attract you,” Sullivan responded. “I've got to go. It's time for lineup. And thanks to you it will now be awkward."

“Would you like me to come do it for you?”

“Hell, no,” Sullivan stated. He hung up to more of Ripley's laughter. So his boss was dating one of his team. And he now knew about it. There were so many ways the situation could cause problems. But Sullivan was a patient man. He'd give them a chance to do the right thing. But that didn't mean he would ever support it.


	4. Chapter 4

Day 4: Jealous

The lights in the restaurant were dim, allowing each table to have privacy. The waiters walked through periodically but only stopped occasionally. Vic was glad Lucas had found this place. They could have a nice dinner and enjoy each other's company without the fear of someone seeing them. Everybody dining there didn't want to be seen.

She and Lucas had finished eating and were just enjoying not being in her apartment. Just as she sipped her wine, her phone went off with a text. She unlocked her screen to see a message from Travis asking if she wanted to hang out. Vic quickly replied, “Can't. On a date.”

He immediately responded. “WITH WHO?”

“Mystery Man,” she sent back.

“Tell meee!” he replied.

Vic giggled and texted, “Nope.”

“Who are you talking to?” Lucas asked and sipped his wine.

“Travis wants to hang out,” Vic told him. She set her phone back on the table and sipped her drink. Noticing the silence on the other side of the table, she asked, “Is something wrong?”

Lucas placed his napkin on the table. “Are you ready to go?”

Vic nodded, and they stood. He grasped her hand as soon as he was near enough, squeezing it just slightly. They didn't say anything as they weaved through the other tables toward the door. The ride to her apartment was…different. Not awkward. Not even uncomfortable. Just different. Something had changed with Lucas.  
Whatever it was had changed again by the time they reached her apartment. As soon as the door was shut, he kissed her. And it was quite a while before they made it to the bedroom. Vic wasn't sure what had happened at the restaurant, but she liked the results.

********************************************************

Vic walked beside Lucas, their fingers linked between them. She couldn't keep the smile from her lips. They'd had a great day. Both were off shift. And Lucas had surprised her by picking her up at the station. Then they spent all day doing whatever sounded good at the time.

Their next stop was Vic's favorite café. They were almost to the door when it opened and a group walked out. Vic recognized one and called out, “Hey, Delukes!”

The doctor stopped and smiled at her. “Hey, Vic. How's it going? I haven't seen you at the hospital lately.”

“Yeah, most people try to avoid hospitals,” Vic responded.

She felt a tug on her hand and glanced at Lucas. He nodded his head toward the café. DeLuca spoke up, “I better let you go. It was good seeing you.”

As soon as he was gone, Vic turned on Lucas. “Are you really in that much of a hurry to get the three feet to the café?”

“No,” he replied. He slid his hands around her waist. “Actually I was thinking we could just go back to your place for the rest of the day.”

Vic studied him. Yet again something had changed. She needed to figure out what it was, but if it kept leading to them in her bed then she didn't really mind.

********************************************************

Three stations were already at the scene when 19 arrived as backup. Vic climbed out of the aid car and immediately noticed Ripley was there as well. She glanced toward Gibson, who was on aid car with her that day. The look he gave her told her he noticed who was there as well.

As they went to find out where they were needed, Vic told him, “Just act natural. Please don't make this awkward.”

“I don't think I'm the one you need to be saying that to,” Gibson replied.

They reached Ripley and the captain from Station 12, who responded first. Ripley greeted them with a nod. “Gibson. Hughes.”

Vic and Gibson shared a look at the catch in his voice at her name. She faced Ripley only to find him studying them. To move things along, she asked, “Where are we needed?”

“We have triage set up over there. The building was full of patients,” the captain said. Vic and Gibson headed toward triage to help out there.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Vic commented, “I think you were right.” She glanced back to find Ripley watching them. “That was awkward, and you didn't even say anything.”

Gibson smirked. “That's what happens when you sleep with the boss.”

Vic glared at him. They reached triage, and she forgot about her secret romance as she busied herself with patients. Several were coughing, but thankfully none seemed to have any serious injuries. They only needed to transport three.

They dropped off one of them and were on their way back to the aid car when Gibson got Vic's attention. She looked at him, and he lifted his chin to indicate the doorway to a waiting room. Ripley stood there, watching them.

“Chief! What are you doing here?” Vic asked maybe just a bit too enthusiastically. 

He eyed Gibson before looking at her and saying, “One of the guys from 23 had a mask malfunction while he was inside. I came to see how he’s doing.”

“Is he okay?” Gibson asked.

Ripley stared at Vic a moment longer before replying, “He will be. They've got him on full oxygen right now, but he's alert. Should be out later tonight.”

“That's good. Uh, Gibson, we should get back to the station,” Vic stated. He nodded.

“Chief,” Gibson said and turned to walk away.

Vic watched Ripley watch Gibson. She kept her voice low as she said, “You know, anyone walking by right now might think you have a problem with Gibson.”

Ripley’s gaze snapped to hers. “Should I?”

“Not that I know of. I mean, he's a great guy, amazing firefighter,” she started. She didn't miss the darkening of his eyes. So she added, “And he's pretty good at keeping secrets.”

“You mean-”

She nodded. “He knows. Has the whole time. And he's never said a word.”

Ripley grasped her arm and led her away from the room full of firefighters. “You told him? Why?”

“I didn't tell him. He found out by pure accident when you called me while I was on shift,” Vic told him.

Again Ripley's eyes darkened and narrowed. “But no one else saw?” She shook her head. “So you were alone with him when I called?”

Vic studied him. The stiffness of his posture. The darkness of his eyes. The way he still had a hold on her sleeve. Something clicked. He'd acted this way before.  
“You're jealous.”

Surprise flashed in his eyes. “Why would I be jealous?”

“You tell me,” she said, pulling out of his grasp. “At the restaurant, when Travis texted me. When we ran into DeLuca. Now with Gibson. You're jealous of the men in my life.”

He shook his head. “I am not jealous.” She gave him a pointed look, daring him to prove otherwise. He sighed. “Okay so maybe I get a little…possessive. You seem to always be surrounded by men.”

“I work in a male-dominant field!” she exclaimed.

Ripley held up a hand. “I know that. And I know you work with a lot of men. I know that you and Montgomery are friends.”

“Plus he's gay.”

“That, too.” Ripley chuckled. “I don't know how or where the doctor fits in.”

“A friend. Or acquaintance really,” Vic told him. “We met during the water main search. And he set me up with…someone else that day.”

He hesitated, then said, “That wasn't much before we first…”

Vic looked down at the floor. “Yeah, it only lasted a couple dates.” She looked back up. “Then I met someone much more interesting.”

Ripley smiled. “I'd kiss you right now if there wasn't a chance of someone walking by.”

“That's okay. I need to go, anyway,” she said. She started to leave but stopped and spoke over her shoulder, “By the way, you have no reason to get jealous. Though I do enjoy what happens when you do.”

She walked away without giving him a chance to respond. And she might have swayed her hips just a bit suggestively. She knew he was watching. She knew the effect her words had on him. She knew what to expect the next time they were alone. And she couldn't wait.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Warning* This is the crossover day, and I thought Amelia Shepherd would be able to help Jack out with his PTSD. She talks about losing her baby from when she was on Private Practice. She also mentions her drug and alcohol abuse. If any of this might trigger you, feel free to skip this chapter.

Day 5: Recovery

The bar was fairly busy for a Tuesday night. Jack liked it that way. The noise soothed him as much as the whiskey. Dean's houseboat was just too quiet. Even with two roommates, Jack felt isolated. Alone. And being alone meant his brain could replay the night he almost died. The night he should have died.

Someone sat beside him, and a feminine voice called out, “Club soda, please.”

Jack glanced over to see one of the doctors from Grey Sloan. He didn't know her name or what kind of doctor she was. The bartender set her drink in front of her. Jack sipped his own before commenting, “What kind of person comes to a bar and doesn't drink?”

“One who really needs a drink but can't have one,” she responded.

“Why's that?”

She drank half of her drink before looking at him and saying, “Because I'm a recovering addict. But today has been horrible, and I'm really needing to unwind. So, here I am, pretending to drink while staying sober.”

Jack drained the last of his whiskey and ordered another. A siren went by outside, and he closed his eyes. The sound of the siren turned to the sound of his PASS device. He forced open his eyes and downed his fresh drink.

A hand touched his arm, and the doctor asked, “Are you all right?”

“I'm fine,” he managed between clenched teeth.

“I can tell you're not. How many have you had?”

He looked at her. “How many what?”

“Drinks.”

He looked down at the empty glass clutched in his hand. “Not nearly enough.”

Jack held up the glass to indicate he wanted another. When the bartender set one down, the doctor said, “You know that's not going to make it go away.”

“What?”

“Whatever it is you're trying to drown out. Alcohol won't get rid of it. Trust me.”

Jack stared into his glass. He asked quietly, “Then what will?”

She shifted on her barstool. “Talking helps. Do you have someone you can talk about it with?”

He thought about Dean and Ben. They were his friends, his roommates. But he outranked them. He was their boss when Sullivan or Chief Ripley weren't around. He shook his head. “I wouldn't be here if I did.”

“Well, you can talk to me.”

Jack glanced her way. “I don't know you.”

“I'm Amelia,” she said, holding out her hand.

He shook it. “Jack.”

She nodded. “Okay, Jack. Now we know each other. So tell me what's got you drinking yourself into oblivion.”

Despite his reservations about asking for help and the fact he really didn't know her, Jack found himself telling her. About the fire at the skyscraper. His goodbye to Andy. The explosion. How he thought he'd only make it out of there in a body bag.

Amelia listened silently until he was done. Then she waited a couple minutes before asking, “How often do you have the nightmares?”

“How did you-?”

“I've dealt with PTSD myself. It cost me my marriage, years later,” she explained.

Jack nodded. He said, “Every night. I relive it every single night. But in the dreams, Andy doesn't find me.”

Amelia sipped her drink and told him, “That happens. Our brains focus on the negative and formulate outcomes that could have happened even if it doesn't make sense.”

“Did that happen to you?”

She hesitated. “In my situation, the actual outcome pretty much was the worst outcome possible.”

“Do you mind me asking what happened?” he asked gently.

Amelia offered a sad smile. “I killed my baby. And his father, actually.”

Jack’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “I'm guessing it had something to do with the drinking?”

“Drugs, actually,” she admitted. “I'm a doctor. I wrote prescriptions that he would get filled. I found out I was pregnant not long after he died of an overdose.”

“So what happened to the baby?”

“He had a condition where his brain didn't form. He literally had no brain. He died soon after birth,” she told him. Then she sucked in a shuttering breath. “But I donated the organs he did have to other babies. So that helped.”

They sat in silence for several long minutes. Jack finished off his whiskey but didn't order another. Instead, he said, “I'm sorry about what happened to you. It kind of makes my own situation seem not so horrible.”

“What happened to you was horrible in its own way. But if I could move on from what I did, then you can move on from what could have been done to you,” she told him. “You were saved, Jack. You lived through it. Hold onto that, and you'll be just fine someday.”

“Someday?”

She squeezed his arm. “It doesn't happen overnight. You have to give it time.” She opened her purse and pulled out a card, handing it to him. “If you need to talk some more, give me a call.”

Jack studied the card. “Neurosurgeon, huh?”

“I know. It's ironic. The neurosurgeon has a baby with no brain,” she commented. Jack stared at her. She added. “My career helped get me back on track. And my sister. You really should confide in someone close to you. A family member, or a friend.”

“I will,” he promised.

Amelia placed some money on the bar and stood. “I should go. I hope you get some relief soon. Just don't rely on alcohol. It won't end well for you.”

“Thank you,” Jack told her. She nodded and then left. He paid for his drinks and then walked out himself. He caught a cab back to the house boat. All of the lights were off, so Dean and Ben must have been asleep. Jack quietly slipped inside and went straight to his room. He stripped and fell onto the bed.

The doctor was right about one thing. Talking about that night helped. He closed his eyes and didn't instantly see the fire and debris surrounding him. The whiskey had relaxed him, and his mind wasn't full of images and sounds. In fact, Jack ended up getting the best sleep he'd had in months.


	6. Chapter 6

Day 6: Forced Revelations

It was a slow day. The team managed to get most of the station cleaned with only a few call-outs. All but one of those were for the aid car, which was Maya and Dean. The rest finished their chores and then found little projects so Sullivan wouldn't find something for them to do.

Andy, Maya, and Vic were watching a romcom when the alarm went off for the aid car. Maya groaned as she jumped off the couch and ran out of the room. Andy and Vic kept watching the movie. They'd all seen it before, so Maya wouldn't actually miss anything.

The movie ended, and Andy turned the TV off. She glanced around. “Maya and Miller aren't back yet, are they?”

“It must be a bad call,” Vic commented.

Just then Andy's phone rang. She tugged it out of her pocket and frowned. “Maya? What's up? Aren't you on a call?”

“It's Ryan, Andy. He's been shot,” Maya told her. 

Andy collapsed onto the couch, tears already forming in her eyes. “How bad is it?”

Seconds passed before Maya said, “He's unconscious. Lost a lot of blood. We're taking him to Grey Sloan.”

“I'll meet you there,” Andy said and hung up. She stood and looked at Vic. “Ryan's hurt. I need to go. I need to call his mom. Or my dad. Oh, God.”

Vic grasped Andy's shoulders. “Hey, calm down. He's going to be fine.”

“I can't lose him. He can't die,” Andy stated as she moved out of the room, Vic following close behind. Sullivan stood in the hallway. Andy looked at him and said, “Sir, I need to-”

“Go. I heard. Take the rest of the shift,” he told her. Andy nodded and ran out of the station. Once at the hospital, she raced into the ER and straight to the desk.

“I need to know where Officer Ryan Tanner is.”

The nurse asked, “Are you family?”

Without hesitation, Andy said, “Yes.”

“He just arrived. Dr. Grey and Dr. Hunt are examining him,” the nurse told her. Andy thanked her and walked away. She paced around the waiting area until she heard Maya call her name.

“What happened?” Andy asked.

Maya wrapped her arms around Andy and hugged her tight. “I'm so sorry, Andy. Apparently they were serving a warrant, and the guy didn't want to be caught. Two other officers were hurt as well.”

Andy pulled away from her. “Just tell me he's going to be okay.”

“I wish I could, but I really don't know,” Maya replied. “The bullet went under his vest, Andy.”

Thankfully Maya was there to catch Andy as she collapsed. This couldn't be happening. Ryan couldn't leave her. She knew his job was as dangerous as hers, but she never thought this day would come. They had so much left to say. Sure, he was angry with her about his dad. But they could get over that as long as he didn't die.

Dr. Grey walked into the waiting room. Andy stood back up and went to meet her. “Tell me he's alive.”

“He's alive. The bullet has done a lot of damage, so we have him in surgery to try to repair what we can. I need to get in there, but we'll update you when we can.”

Andy breathed a sigh of relief. He was still alive, still fighting. She could handle that.

“Andrea,” she heard from behind her. She turned and ran to her dad's arms. Sobs took over her body, so Maya explained what happened and how Ryan was doing. Then she and Miller left to go back to the station. Andy sat down with her dad.

They waited for what felt like hours until Dr. Grey appeared again. She smiled as she reached them. “Andy, we were able to stop the bleeding. We had to take his spleen out, and he had more damage than we thought. He also hit his head when he fell, but his scans look good so far.”

“Can I see him?” Andy asked.

“Soon. They're getting him settled now. Someone will come get you once they're finished,” Dr. Grey told her.

“Thank you for saving him,” Andy stated through tears.  
Dr. Grey nodded and walked away. Andy buried her face in her dad's chest. He held her the same way he had after her mom died. But this time nobody died. Ryan would make it. If he didn't, Andy would bring him back to life so she could kill him herself for leaving her.

It wasn't long before a nurse came to get Andy. Her dad stood with her. Together they walked to ICU. But they stopped outside Ryan's room. Andy's hand covered her mouth. Fresh tears streamed over her cheeks. He didn't look alive.

He was pale. His dark hair was covered by white bandages. Tubes and wires snaked out from under the blanket and connected him to various machines. He only had an oxygen tube, which meant he was still breathing on his own. That gave Andy enough hope to step into the room.

She went to one side while her dad went to the other. Andy dug Ryan's hand out from under the blanket and squeezed it. He didn't squeeze back, but at least she could feel that he was alive.

“You scared us, Tanner,” her dad said quietly. “I don't know what your mother will do if you don't pull through. One should never have to bury their child. You remember that.”

Andy glanced toward her dad. His eyes were watery. She couldn't believe he actually cared for Ryan enough to cry. He spent her entire teenage and adult life warning her away from Ryan. Now he almost treated him like a son.

“I'm going to give you some privacy. I'll be in the waiting room if you need me,” her dad told her. Andy stood and hugged him before he left. Then she dragged a chair to the side of the bed and grasped Ryan's hand once more.

She spoke quietly. “My dad is right. You scared us both. You're not supposed to be the one lying in this bed. I shouldn't be sitting here, waiting for you to wake up.”

Andy stopped and wiped her eyes. Then she continued, “You better not die on me, Ryan Tanner. I can't live without you. I love you. So you have to wake up. You hear me?”

His lips moved. A moan escaped. Andy squeezed his hand, and he actually squeezed back. Hope flooded her heart and mind. “Ryan, open your eyes. Come back to me.”

His eyelids twitched. He squeezed her hand again. Andy glanced down at their hands. When she looked back up at his face, his eyes were focused on her. His lips curved into a small smile. He managed to rasp, “Andy.”

“I'm here, Ry. I'm right here,” she told him. This time the tears falling from her eyes were caused by happiness. She stroked the top of his head. “I'm so glad you're alive and awake.”

“Me, too,” he whispered.

“You scared me.”

“I'm sorry.”

“You got lucky.”

“I know.”

Andy hesitated but then decided to say, “I love you.”

Ryan's eyes sparkled. He coughed. When he could speak again, he told her, “I love you, too.”

She pressed her lips to his briefly. Then she looked into his eyes and shook her head. “Don't ever do this to me again. I don't think I can handle it a second time.”

“I don't plan to.” He lifted their joined hands. “We need to talk, Andy.”

“Yes, we do,” she agreed. “But right now you need to rest.”

His gaze shifted to meet hers. “Will you still be here?”

Andy smiled. “I'm not going anywhere.”

Ryan closed his eyes again. Andy watched his features relax as he fell asleep. She kept his hand in her grasp but let the rest of her body ease back into the chair. Ryan was all right. He was alive. He would recover. And they would have the talk they should've had months ago. She needed him. She loved him. It just took him getting shot to make her realize that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is super short, but apparently I'm not good at fluff. I also wrote it on the way home from church today (No, I wasn't driving).
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read and commented. Theme week was fun and challenging.

Day 7: Family Dinner

Travis treated the team to one of Grant's recipes for dinner, though he cooked it himself. Everyone helped set it all on the table and had just sat down themselves when Sullivan appeared. “I've been smelling the food for hours, so I thought I'd join you.”

“Sure! We can make room,” Vic said. The others nodded and mumbled agreement. Jack vacated the seat at the end of the table and moved between Dean and Vic. Sullivan hesitated a moment but then took his place at the head of the table. They started talking about their last call while they passed food around. Even Sullivan commented on it a few times.

“This food is really good, Montgomery,” Sullivan stated during a lull in conversation. 

Travis handed the bowl of mixed vegetables to Maya and said, “Thank you, Sir.”

“Is this something you came up with?” Sullivan asked.

“No. It's Grant's recipe. He will be putting it on the menu at his restaurant,” Travis explained.

After eating a few more bites, Sullivan told him, “You'll have to let us know when it opens. Maybe we can all be there opening night.”

“Uh, I will, Sir,” Travis said.

“Montgomery,” Sullivan spoke quietly but with authority. “There's no need to be formal. We're a family here, enjoying dinner together.”

Everyone else exchanged glances. This was a new side to their captain. They'd all noticed subtle differences since the storm, but he'd stayed distant. To see him sitting at the table with them, eating with them, talking candidly with them. Hearing him call them a family. They'd finally broken the barrier Sullivan put up his first day as their captain. As a group, they relaxed. Then they continued to enjoy their Station 19 family dinner.


End file.
